narrowboatworld

THE purpose of narrowboatworld, which came into being in 2000, is to promote the waterways, and at the same time keep you informed and up-to-date of the happenings of the boating world, in what we believe is the waterways' most accessible and easiest navigable website.

It is a purely non-commercial, with everyone connected with it, and particularly those listed on this page, giving their time and effort completely free, purely to keep you both entertained and informed.

It is accepted as the most frequently updated and the most visited waterways site on the web, visited perhaps as Brian Holmes once related because it is written by boaters, for boaters, about boating.

News items are generally kept on the site indefinitely, so that people can search and refer to them, but columns that are of a more personal nature are kept for just six months.

With its new Content Management System, introduced in early 2009, it is no longer updated only in the mornings, but whenever material is available, sometimes many times a day or some days not all. In its new format it allows reader involvement with a Forum in addition to sending in comments as emails using the link above. There is now the facility to upload your pictures into a Gallery, all giving more of a community spirit

There is strict privacy with no emails address given to a third party or published, except on the express wish of the writer.

We are particularly concerned about including links, with such to polls, Facebook, Twitter or other forums not allowed, as we are concerned that by including such a link, we are thus seen as supporting. This site is run as as a web newspaper, and not a vehicle to promote others.

The editor—Tom Crossley

TOM was an actual newspaper editor for 28 years, and though narrowboatworld is of course an internet site, his long newspaper association still shows, as does his grounding as a press photographer.

Boating experience is like that of many others, first hiring narrowboats, on canals from the Kennet & Avon to the Leeds & Liverpool, until 1996 when he built his own narrowboat from a windowless and doorless shell, which took a year to complete, then used extensively for cruising when finally finished.

In 2001 a sailaway was built by Simon Piper, which he also fitted-out, and which, also named Bounty like the former boat, is used for two main cruises a year, in May and September and the weekly days out, and is shared by Jan, known as She Who Must Be Obeyed!

To date they have cruised most of the waterways, and the major rivers of the Trent, Thames, Severn and Nene, all the time gaining the knowledge that is indispensable for narrowboatworld.

The designer—Jason Crossley

JASON first designed narrowboatworld—and chose its name—way back in 2000, with the whole remit to create a site, where content was king, and ease of navigation was all important.

In the early days, the site, like others was in Microsoft Windows,using Frontpage, but at the end of 2005, Jason decided that narrowboatworld was getting rather dated with too much colour and too cramped text, and as new methods of design and authoring were now available he redesigned it using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), but more importantly totally away from Microsoft to the new Amaya as the web authoring tool.

Then he decided we should leave Microsoft and Windows completely for the open source Linux operating system.This multitasking, multiuser operating system based on Unix, offers a security that Microsoft will never achieve.

Over the subsequent years there were one or two 'tweaks' as new methods came into being until March 2009, when Jason decided the site should have a complete change, and encompass Content Management System (CMS), the latest all-singing all-dancing web authorising tool, that enabled greater reader involvement and facilities, making narrowboatworld we believe it to be technically one of the the most advanced waterways website in existence.

Of course this meant a terrific amount of work for Jason and another massive learning curve for us, but eventually it came together, and thanks indeed to Jason for his unfailing endeavours in getting it all together to be the attraction that it is today.

Ted Sedman—Proof reader

TED first started with narrowboatworld in 2004, advising us of typographical mistakes, and perhaps was surprised that instead of taking umbrage, we actually thanked him for his effort. Since which time he realised that his help was appreciated, and so took it on himself to become our official proof reader, spending time most days going through the new items and pointing out any mistakes that get through. With the new format he has been give Editor permission, and so makes corrections direct on the site.

"My introduction to canals was in 1966 when my brother-in-law-to-be hired a Maid Line cruiser from Reading on the Thames to Brinklow on the North Oxford. Seven young men in a hire boat should not have been allowed, but we had a wonderful time going from pub to pub." Tells Ted.

"After I was married we hired boats several times and in 1974 we bought our first narrowboat which we moored near Reading on the short length of the Kennet and Avon that was then navigable. In the 80's our second boat was kept on the Thames at Pangbourne, and in this we came South to Godalming, and later went North as far as Ripon, or at least as close as we could get with the Ripon Canal only partly restored.

"In the 90's our boating decreased as a result of my acquisition of a Penny-Farthing bicycle. So the boat was sold, but it was always the intention to get another when I retired, and recently we have been fitting out a steam narrowboat. It is now on the Basingstoke Canal, near to where we now live."

The picture is Ted winning the 'Fu Manchu' class at the World Beard and Moustache Championships!

Principal reporter—Alan Tilbury

ALAN has been interested in canals for over 60 years. As a child he spent many hours watching working boats negotiate the Three Locks at Soulbury having been evacuated to his uncle's farm there during the war. It wasn't until 1980 that he first took a holiday on a canal boat although he never missed a chance to visit a canal during the preceding years.

Since that first holiday Alan has travelled most of the canal system mainly on hire boats. Living in East Kent he couldn't be much further from the main canal system so owning a boat was never a viable option.

Alan started submitting snippets of news soon after narrowboatworld went on line, he initially became known as the body man as he frequently seemed to find news of people meeting an unpleasant end in the waterways. Since retiring and having more free time to research canal associated news from various sources he is now our main contributor and principal reporter.

He enjoys walking canal towpaths with his camera and has submitted several articles that we put under the heading of 'A Walk on the Wild Side. He also takes to the water with us on Bounty.

Alan supplies most of the material contained in the Latest News.

Political journalist—Allan Richards

ALLAN'S purpose in narrowboatworld seems to be creating a balance between the favourable 'spin' created by British Waterways and reality. His articles are thoroughly researched, and give the actual picture of the state of the waterways and finances, often to the distress of authority.

He started boating way back in 1960 aged 12. Canoeing on the Lee (particularly Dobbs Weir) and Thames with the scouts, and GP14 dingies at school.

In 1970, after several hire trips on the broads and canals, he took the plunge with a 13' 6" (grp hull with marine ply superstructure) cruiser with a seagull outboard, trailed all round the country, and boating ever since.

Hiring, shared ownership for ten years and now, having retired, sole ownership of a narrowboat usually cruising with his wife and son (who has Downs Syndrome). Having worked for OwnerShips in the past as a local manager, he has some experience of the commercial side of inland waterways. He is also a volunteer helmsman for the Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs with a special interest in working with disadvantaged children, particularly those with learning difficulties.

Allan tells us that unlike some boat owners, he admits to being a keen towpath user, particularly for dog walking and cycling with my son. He even fishes.

Next year he will have clocked up 50 years of boating, so can obviously write on the waterways with authority.

Jan—She Who Must Be Obeyed

JAN'S efforts appear from time to time, usually as features depicting an element of a cruise. As an highly qualified freelance riding instructor she is very used to giving orders, which has earned her the title of She Who Must Be Obeyed!

She shows this when she meets hirers such as Canaltime crews who are obviously in need of instruction, then she always asks if they would like some help, and if so, certainly gives it, brooking no objections!

Her boating is as the other half of the crew of Bounty, and previous to this as a hirer. She is a competent helmsman, and insists upon turn and turn alike with steering the boat and working the locks.

In the picture Jan is on Bounty in Birmingham, just up from Gas Street Basin, demanding that she be taken to the local Chinese restaurant to have a crispy duck